PineBridge Investments has hired the former head of Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund to lead its expansion into the Middle East and North Africa.

Talal Al Zain's appointment as CEO for the region marks PineBridge's decision to launch full-service operations, including funds, there. The New York-based firm has a presence in Dubai and Turkey, but employs fewer than nine people in the region; it plans to increase that number by about 35 over the next year.

The $67.3 billion asset manager is considering several locations for its MENA headquarters, including Al Zain's old haunt, Bahrain.

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